Mutation
Definition
A mutation is any change that occurs in the DNA sequence. It can lead to variations within species and potentially new species altogether.
Analogy
Imagine your DNA as an instruction manual for building your body. A mutation would be like someone randomly changing some words or sentences in this manual - sometimes it doesn't make much difference, other times it could completely change what gets built!
Related terms
Point Mutation: This is when one base pair in the DNA sequence is replaced by another.
Frameshift Mutation: This happens when an extra base pair is inserted into or deleted from the DNA sequence, shifting the reading frame and often resulting in drastically different proteins being produced.
Chromosomal Mutation: These are mutations that affect whole chromosomes or large segments of them, including multiple genes at once.
"Mutation" appears in:
Study guides (5)
Practice Questions (3)
- A mutation in the receptor protein that regulates blood glucose levels in the bloodstream with insulin can do what?
- How would a mutation that alters the shape of a receptor protein alter the cell signaling pathway?
- A mutation causes the membrane of a lysosome to become leaky. Describe a result of this:
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